1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and an information processing system including the printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one of the most general configurations of this kind of information processing systems, the configuration in which an ink jet printing apparatus (hereafter, it may also be referred to as xe2x80x9can ink jet printerxe2x80x9d) is connected to a so-called personal computer is known. The user of a personal computer system operates keys and the like confirming information indicated on a display thereof and gives instructions for executing information processing. Then, results processed in the system can be recorded by means of the aforementioned printer or can be indicated on the display thereof.
In conventional systems of this kind, between a personal computer as a host apparatus and a printer which are components constituting the system, only transmission and reception of data required for recording operation such as recording data and recording control data are often performed, and data related to the other operations of the printer mainly are inputted at the printer side.
For example, such as an instruction for ejection recovery operations proper to the ink jet printer often is performed by means of a key operation exclusive thereto or the like. Also, even when these operations are automatically performed at the printer side, these are performed independently of the host apparatus.
On the other hand, the ink jet printer serves to execute various operations being attendant on the printing operation thereof. The ejection recovery operation described above is a typical example thereof, as the various operations there are control of an ink amount in an ink tank and operation for exchange of the ink tank, control of a waste-ink tank storing waste-ink expelled on the ejection recovery operation described above, and further operation associated with exchange of a recording head.
In a case where the aforementioned ink jet printer independently performing processing is connected to an information various operations described above system as one component thereof, wherein the information processing system includes a computer as a host apparatus thereof, execution of these generations with the entire system might be convenient for the user of the system.
The object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus using the printing apparatus in which a user of the apparatuses can appropriately perform an operation related to the printing apparatus by means of displaying operating information.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus and an information processing system including the ink jet printing apparatus these of which permit the user thereof to appropriately perform exchanging operation of an ink tank or an ink jet head, to execute appropriate processing associated with the exchanging operation thereof, and further to perform an appropriate control of a waste-ink tank.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus and an information processing system using the ink jet printing apparatus in which information for an exchanging operation of an ink tank or the like can be displayed on a display unit, and the ink jet apparatus can perform the operation according to the information displayed.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus generating and outputting output information by using a printing apparatus, comprising:
discrimination means for discriminating instruction information inputted from the outside the information processing apparatus in response to an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion; and
display control means for controlling the display of the operating procedure displayed on the display portion on the basis of a result of discrimination by the discrimination means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus outputting output information based on information inputted from an information processing apparatus, comprising:
detection means for detecting state information of the printing apparatus operated in accordance with an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion of the information processing apparatus; and
output means for outputting the state information to the information processing apparatus in order to control the display of the operating procedure of the printing apparatus on the basis of a result of detection by the detection means.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing system including a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus, comprising:
discrimination means for discriminating instruction information inputted from the outside the information processing system in response to an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion;
detection means for detecting state information of the printing apparatus operated in accordance with an operating procedure of the printing apparatus; and
display control means for controlling the display of the operating procedure displayed on the display portion on the basis of a result of discrimination by the discrimination means and/or a result of detection of the detection means.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method in an information processing apparatus generating and outputting output information by using a printing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
discriminating instruction information inputted from the outside the information processing apparatus in response to an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion; and
controlling the display of the operating procedure displayed on the display portion on the basis of a result of the discrimination.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method in a printing apparatus outputting output information based on information inputted from an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
detecting state information of the printing apparatus operated in accordance with an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion of the information processing apparatus; and
outputting the state information to the information processing apparatus in order to control the display of the operating procedure of the printing apparatus on the basis of a result of the detection.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing method in an information processing system including a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:
discriminating instruction information inputted from the outside the information processing system in response to an operating procedure of the printing apparatus, the operating procedure being displayed on a display portion;
detecting state information of the printing apparatus operated in accordance with an operating procedure of the printing apparatus; and
controlling the display of the operating procedure displayed on the display portion on the basis of a result of discrimination and/or a result of the detection.